Summary

Eight months ago, the common elf Azala visited his former mentor, Seri, in the Forest of No Return. He had always been attracted to the high elf, who nearly a hundred years ago crossed paths with him in the Mirror Forest. She had shared her shamanist wisdom with the elves of the Mirror Forest, as well as two visiting elves; Azala and Mia. Though she only stayed a short while, she left an impression on Azala, and it wasnt until nearly a hundred years later that he finally found her in the Forest of No Return and made his feelings known. However, Azala remained incapable of remaining in one place for long, and after his brief fling with Seri, he moved on to continue his philandering ways. Little did he know, but he left her pregnant.

After waiting a few months, and trying to contact Azala with no results, Seri let her frustration get the better of her and set out to find Azala on her own. She chose Estas to accompany her, as he had the most recent experience with the world outside the forest. Seri and Estas scoured Lodoss for news of Azala with no success, until their search brought them to Raiden. Seri decided to hire mercenary trackers in the city, in the hopes that more people searching could help her.

Meanwhile, a group of adventurers had gathered in a local inn frequented by mercenaries. Travelers from the Glassy Woods, Caradithil, Dinalindel, and Rain; a priestess of Cha Za, Sairina, ready to take a mission out into the world; Luria, a free spirited half-elf ranger; Phaeton, a disowned son of a remote tribe and mercenary; Orion, a reclusive solitary elf who was taking a chance on humanity again; and Kitsa, the daughter of a half-elf from Lodoss and a woman of the Azarns, who had come to visit her fathers homeland and find long lost family. Together, this mismatched group decided to take a mercenary job together that would lead them to Seris mission. Through Phaetons guild membership, Seri and Estas agreed to hire Phaeton, Luria, Orion, and Kitsa, while allowing Sairina to accompany them. Caradithil, Dinalindel, and Rain, however, were called back to their home forest.

The group heads eastward, bound back for Flaim, and camps for the night in a commonly used site a day out of Raiden. Soon after night fell, they were joined by two half-elves, Yezela and Lanir. The two were childhood friends who had been reunited a few days earlier in the village of Maleril. As they reconnected, they realized that both had an elven father who had left their mothers, and they began to wonder if perhaps they had the same father, so they were bound for Raiden where their mothersboth merchantslived. Lanir was the one who had the name of their father, Azala, and with that knowledge, it soon became known that he and Seris unborn child were siblings, but Yezela was still unsure of her own paternity. Seri was devastated by the knowledge that Azala had fathered this child with someone else and a rage began to build in her. However, she allowed Lanir and Yezela to stay with her group.

The next day, as they set out, and not long after they were on the road, Yezelas mother, the merchant Mirael Bedira, came up behind them from Raiden. With Mirael was Air, another daughter of Azala who had hitched a ride with Mirael. When the two groups met, Mirael was able to confirm Yezelas suspicions that Azala was her father as well. But for Seri, now with three bastard children of Azala with her, her anger and the pain of betrayal were overwhelming her.

Two days later, they arrived in the city of Shuva where Mirael would be setting up shop. Seri had found a kinship with the woman, who had offered her support, though Miraels relationship with Azala was quite different. In Shuva, a half-elf who bore a striking resemblance to Azala named Albedo expressed an interest in joining their search because he had a message for Azala, but he denied any relation, stating that his mother was an elf, and his father human. However, after a conflict with Air the next day, Albedo left and Seri decided to abandon her search and head straight home.

Seri and her company moved south to Blade, leaving Mirael behind in Shuva. While en route, the group was ambushed by bandits, but instead of demanding money, the bandits simply attacked. After a spell to knock them unconscious was cast by Seri, the group noticed that Air was missing. It was decided that someone would have to find her, but Seri had to continue on to the city. Kitsa, Orion, and Lanir were chosen to track down Air and find out what happened while the rest of the group rode on to Blade.

Lanir, Orion, and Kitsa searched the desert until they found a trapdoor under the sand that led to a underground corridor. Following it, they discovered a bandit lair underground that belonged to the Sand Wolves gang. They met with the leader, and his half-elf sister, Valkyria, and learned that Airs kidnapping had been arranged by an ex-fiancé who was desperate to get her back. The bandit leader said that he would break his contract if they could offer a higher sum, or a blood relative could vouch for Airs unwillingness to marry. As Lanir was Airs brother, he was the one to petition for her release, but he had to first pass a test. After answering questions about Air, he was lucky to answer most of them after the short time he had known his sister. It was during this questioning that Valkyria realized that they shared the same father as her; Azala.

Lanirs testimony was satisfactory, and Air was released to him. The bandits promised their protection out of the desert, by sending Valkyria to guide them through. With Air safely returned, Kitsa, Orion, and Lanir traveled to Blade via underground tunnels with Valkyria. Upon arriving in the city, they tracked Seris company down to an inn and were reunited. The next day, the party set out, even with Valkyrias warning of a coming sandstorm.

Meanwhile, in Adan, Azalawho had been recently reunited with his old friend Mia, and was traveling with Midau and Bellamet Lien, a high elven doctor and midwife, who had been intending to deliver Seris baby. As Seris due date grew near, Lien became anxious and set out to find Seri. From Lien, Azala learns of Seris pregnancy with his child, and agreed to travel with Lien. Before leaving Adan the next day, Azala comes face to face with another pregnant girl; this one pregnant with his grandchild, fathered by his son, Nat, whom he had just met in Shinning Hill a couple days earlier. Azala and his companions reach Roid, where they stay the night and bid farewell to Midau and Bella. Mia and Azala speak that night, and Mia tries to assure him that he is doing the right thing.

Seri and her company head out into the desert, guided by Valkyria, and weather the sandstorm as best they can. After the storm passes, they pause long enough to water their horses, but Valkyria pushes them onward to avoid roving monsters and highwaymen. As they head back out into the desert, they are ambushed by the very highwaymen she was afraid of, but they defeat the enemy and move onward. After a couple day’s journey, they arrive in Lolan while Azala is en route from Roid.